PROGESTERONE AND 20α-HYDROXYPREGN-4-EN-3-ONE LEVELS IN OVARIAN VEIN BLOOD OF THE RAT THROUGHOUT LACTATION

SUMMARY Changes in the rate of progesterone and 20α-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one (20α-OH-P) secretion by the rat ovary during the course of lactation were investigated. The level of progesterone in the ovarian vein blood, which was very low on day 1 of lactation, increased progressively up to day 8 (355 μg./100 ml. blood), then declined to day 18 (45·5 μg./100 ml.) and day 21 of lactation. A high concentration of 20α-OH-P in blood was observed on day 1 and day 21 of lactation, but from day 4 to day 18 the secretion of this steroid was relatively low. The ratio of progesterone to 20α-OH-P exceeded unity from day 4 to day 16, and in the middle of lactation the concentration of progesterone in ovarian venous blood was about four times greater than that of 20α-OH-P. These changes in the secretory pattern of progestins during lactation are discussed in connexion with the effects of the suckling stimulus on prolactin and gonadotrophin secretion from the anterior pituitary gland.

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Effect of hypothalamic neuropeptides on corticotrophin release from quarters of rat anterior pituitary gland in vitro

Journal of Endocrinology ◽

10.1677/joe.0.1000219 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 100 (2) ◽

pp. 219-226 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

S. A. Nicholson ◽

T. E. Adrian ◽

B. Gillham ◽

M. T. Jones ◽

S. R. Bloom

Keyword(s):

Pituitary Gland ◽

Anterior Pituitary ◽

Low Dose ◽

Physiological Role ◽

Anterior Pituitary Gland ◽

High Concentration ◽

Response Curves ◽

Corticotrophin Releasing Factor ◽

Basal Release

ABSTRACT The effect of six hypothalamic peptides on the basal release of ACTH and that induced by arginine vasopressin (AVP) or by ovine corticotrophin releasing factor (oCRF) from fragments of the rat anterior pituitary gland incubated in vitro was investigated. Dose–response curves to AVP and to oCRF were obtained, and the response to a low dose of oCRF was potentiated by a low dose of AVP. Basal release of ACTH was not affected by any of the peptides in concentrations in the range 10−12 to 10−6 mol/l, and only substance P (SP) and somatostatin (SRIF) inhibited significantly the response to oCRF in a dose-related manner. The responses to a range of doses of oCRF or AVP were reduced by 10−8 and 10 − 6 mol SP or SRIF/1, and to a greater extent by the higher dose. Except in the case of 10−6 mol SRIF/1 on the response to AVP, the response was not further diminished by preincubation of the tissue with the peptide before the stimulating agent was added. The inhibition of the responses to AVP or oCRF by 10−9 mol SP/1 was not potentiated by its combination with either 5 × 10−10 or 10−8 mol SRIF/1; the inhibitory effects were merely additive. The results suggest that although SRIF and SP are able to modulate the release of ACTH from the anterior pituitary gland, they do so only at a high concentration. In the case of SRIF these concentrations are several orders of magnitude higher than those reported to be present in the hypophysial portal blood and therefore a physiological role for this peptide in the control of ACTH secretion is unlikely. J. Endocr. (1984) 100, 219–226

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Pituitary and testicular responses in sexually mature bulls after intravenous injections of graded doses of LH-releasing hormone

Journal of Endocrinology ◽

10.1677/joe.0.1030371 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 103 (3) ◽

pp. 371-376 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

M. J. D'Occhio ◽

B. P. Setchell

Keyword(s):

Pituitary Gland ◽

Anterior Pituitary ◽

Anterior Pituitary Gland ◽

Limiting Factor ◽

Releasing Hormone ◽

Intravenous Injections ◽

Gonadotrophin Secretion ◽

Lh Release ◽

Lh Releasing Hormone ◽

Sexually Mature

ABSTRACT The capacity of the anterior pituitary gland and testes in mature bulls (705±9 (s.e.m.) kg body wt, n = 4) to respond to graded doses of LH-releasing hormone (LHRH) was assessed relative to endogenous profiles of LH and testosterone secretion. Endogenous hormone profiles were determined by bleeding bulls at 20-min intervals for 12 h. Responses to LHRH were assessed on successive days after single intravenous injections of 1, 5, 10, 50 or 100 ng LHRH/kg body wt. Blood samples were taken at −40, −20, 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60 and 120 min relative to LHRH injection. During a 12-h bleed bulls showed spontaneous pulses of LH and testosterone which had peak amplitudes of 2·6±0·5 μg/l and 44·5 ± 7·1 nmol/l respectively. Respective peak LH (μg/l) and testosterone (nmol/l) responses to LVRH were as follows: 1 ng LHRH (3·0±0·7: 47·3±4·1); 5 ng LHRH (8·0±1·2; 52·8 ± 6·2); 10 ng LHRH (11·1±2·3; 57·7 ± 9·1); 50 ng LHRH (19·2±2·8; 47·9±8·6); 100 ng LHRH (19·1±4·7; 43·9 ±6·4). A dose of 1 ng LHRH/kg produced LH and testosterone responses which were comparable in amplitude to spontaneous peaks in the respective hormone. There was a linear (y = 0·28x+5·72; r = 0·81) increase in the LH response to doses of LVRH between 1 and 50 ng/kg; corresponding testosterone responses showed no relationship with the dose of LHRH. The capacity of the anterior pituitary gland to release amounts of LH eight to ten times in excess of those secreted during spontaneous peaks suggests that (1) there exists a large releasable store of LH in the anterior pituitary gland and (2) hypothalamic LHRH is a limiting factor in gonadotrophin secretion. In contrast to LH release, the androgenic response of the testes to acute gonadotrophic stimulation is determined largely by prevailing steroidogenic activity. J. Endocr. (1984) 103, 371–376

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IMMUNOCHARACTERISTICS OF OESTROGEN AND ANDROGEN TARGET CELLS IN THE ANTERIOR PITUITARY GLAND OF THE CHICK EMBRYO AS DEMONSTRATED BY A COMBINED METHOD OF AUTORADIOGRAPHY AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY

Journal of Endocrinology ◽

10.1677/joe.0.0860245 ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 86 (2) ◽

pp. 245-NP ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

J.-M. GASC ◽

M. SAR ◽

W. E. STUMPF

Keyword(s):

Chick Embryo ◽

Pituitary Gland ◽

Anterior Pituitary ◽

Feedback Regulation ◽

Anterior Pituitary Gland ◽

Target Cells ◽

Combined Method ◽

Gonadotrophin Secretion ◽

Positive Immunoreactivity ◽

Autoradiographic Technique

The distribution of oestrogen and androgen target cells in the anterior pituitary gland of the chick embryo on days 10, 12 and 15 of incubation was studied 1 h after the injection of tritium-labelled steroid hormone using the thaw–mount autoradiographic technique. Oestradiol target cells were localized in the caudal zone that corresponds to the so-called 'caudal lobe', while androgen target cells were found throughout the rostral and caudal lobes of the anterior pituitary gland. With a combined autoradiography and immunohistochemistry technique, most of the oestrogen target cells showed immunoreactivity to turkey LH antiserum but not to adrenocorticotrophin (1–24) and β-thyrotrophin antisera. In contrast, androgen target cells did not show positive immunoreactivity to the three antisera used. The results suggested a direct and early involvement of oestrogens but not of androgens in the feedback regulation of pituitary gonadotrophin secretion in the chick embryo.

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